Electronically Translated Text

The people of New South Wales will letra with feelings of snrpriso and extreme regret that his Excellency Viscount Hampden will relinquish his post as Governor of this colony in Fobruary next Ou March 1 his Excellency and tho iiscounfoss Hampden will rcluin to Euglaud It is woll known that the ordumiy tenure of the ollie« of Governor of an Australian colony is six years, hut Lord Hampden left England to assume control here as her MnjEsty's representative undor special and unusual conditions When the position was first offered to him Lord Hampden pointed out to the authorities that ha foresaw difficulties of a private and family uature that were calculated to render the curtailment of his oceupnucy of lho pout Impcrituo Hofurthoi specified that tho development of time difikultitB could not bo eta} ed beyond four years from that dato, and that at lho nxpliy of that term his pre- st-neo would be again required lu Eaglaud Hie Homo Olhco tacitly acquiesced in this view of the situation, and it was in the terms of that mutual understanding that Lord Hampden accepted the appointment. This departure from the usual proce- dure was not made gonorally onbhc.and it waB taken ¿or granted in New South Wales that tho Governorship was arranged for the full term of six years It will become apparent now, however, that by reason of tho spLoial circum- stances of the case it was very unlikely that Lord Hampden would havo remained boia for a longer penod than four years, hut until quite receutly it was tile clear intention of bis Excellency to continue m the occupancy of his high office until October, 1899 Unfortunately, howover, a situation of press- ing urgency has eventuated, and it has become absolutely mandatory on his Excellency to return to England as speedily as possible in bis privato Interests He had hoped to remain hore until November next but owing to the circumstances roUted ho has forwurded to the Impc-ial authorities a notification m tho terms indicated Lord Hnmp at^ii confo'-scs to fcohugs of deop disappoiutnient that his retentiou of ofiice could not ho prolongad, und so keon are his sentiments m tais regatd that ho linds a moisel of con-iolat*ou in the culculnliou that if the pix mouths' leavo of uhmncc which is always accorded to coloniU Governors ho reckoned in tho sum total he »ill havo approximately completed his fourth year in office

His Exedloncj, tue Viscountess, and suito arrived in Sydney nrocisely three j cars ago jeBtoiday, tint is on Novmber 21, lulo Lord Hampden, with his quick discernmcut and ready adaptability, imme- diately commanded tho respect and won the sym- pathy of the people The good impression he suc- ceeded in making at the threshold of his career in New bouth Wales was shared by Viscouotcsi Hamp- den, when after i very short luterval she began to movo iu public aud sociul cueles Ihoir warm sympathy with nil charitable mo* ements is willoi} known, and the part which Lady Hampden has played in promoting and asuutmg such agencies for Boeill advancement as peculiarly demanded the im- mediate intervention of women lias made her namo a ey non) m for unselfish help His J xcollency has, liorhaps, experienced closer uctual association with all scctiouB of the community tuan has fallen to the lot of most Governors m this colouy, because ho lias thrown himfclf Into public and eeml-public life without ie:,tnctioti. Nevertheless, it will not be any exaggeration to say that ho will carry away « lth lum the undiluted respect and hearty admiration of all people who have known him or hoard of bun

Of Viscountess Hampden it maybe sam that her

absence will be a distinct lees to society

It is well known that Lord Hatnpden's desire to see the federation of Australia is ardent to a degree, and his utterances on tuo subject- wore wont at one timo ta bo almost perfcrvid lu their nature Yes toiday ho concludtd tho announcement of his pend- ing departure to a representative of lho .' nerald " with the observation that " so far as he was con- cerned nothing would pleaso lum batter than to stj3 in Now South WiJe?, but ono could not help thc-o things" Ho added, "I most particulirl-, regret not 1 omg able lo remain uutil the tederalion nues tion lins boon settled, as it will bo Bettled, I think, in a favomablo wa-, Unfortunately, (iola*. 3 have taken place hut I still think it will ho carried through before very long When it cornea you will find it v» ill lie vsry much to the advautage of the colonies I think I huve dono what I could towards tho advancement of union When I first armed I allowed myself a great deal of liberty in speaking in advocacy of it I advocated it at all times--perh-ips iu season as well as out Gut recently, as 5 011 will have observed, I coased rnv open piotostations for federation because it became a matter of hot party politics I really had to drop the subject altogethci, beciuse it would not ha\e bien proper for mo in my Fosition to say moie I advocated fcdoiatton moro

rom au Australian point of view than from that of Imperial advantage I have never had any doubt that tho people of New South Wales ns a people nra strongly in favour of tho principie of uuiou, and I think there is every prospect of the statesmen of Now South Wales speedily meeting tboso of the other colonies-mid as far iib I could judgo 111 Mel- bourne, tho statesmen of Victoria are oqu illy roady -iu ordor to discuss the question iu n «pint of con- ciliation and com promise When that is dono one can hope that no serious difficulty will stand iu the nay of accomplishing a desire which, I am sure, the peoplo generally have at heart,"